Who Owns Britain's Biggest Gym Chains?

Following a mandatory closure during the pandemic, many Brits are returning to the gym in large numbers, significantly boosting the results of the country's largest gym chains over the past few years.

Gyms play a crucial role in the health and fitness economy of the UK. They provide employment for hundreds of thousands of people and contribute millions in taxes to the public treasury.

But who owns the biggest gym groups in the UK, and who are the decision-makers behind them?

Who owns Pure Gym?

Pure Gym was acquired by Los Angeles-based Leonard Green & Partners for £600 million in 2017.

This purchase came three years after a failed merger with The Gym Group, which was halted due to a referral to the Competition and Markets Authority.

Based in Leeds, Pure Gym is the country's largest gym chain, boasting nearly 400 locations across the UK.

Humphrey Michael Cobbold has been the CEO since 2015, when the company had just 84 gyms. Under his leadership, the business expanded to over 200 facilities by 2018.

In 2023, Pure Gym increased its UK membership from 1.2 million in 2022 to 1.4 million and opened 40 new locations within the year.

The company's revenue grew from £476 million to nearly £550 million, reducing its pre-tax loss from £123 million to £52 million.

During the same period, it reported an adjusted EBITDA of £132.2 million, up from £95.1 million in 2022.

How many locations does The Gym Group have?

The Gym Group, a budget-friendly gym operator, became publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2015.

Its primary shareholders include London-based Blantyre Capital Ltd, owning 11% of the shares, and Liontrust Investment Partners, also based in London, with a 10% share.

Will Orr assumed the role of CEO of The Gym Group in September 2023, earning £573,000 for the year, including £118,000 in bonuses.

The group increased its revenue by 18% in 2023, with an 8% rise in the average number of members using its facilities.

Despite this growth, the group reported a pre-tax loss of £8.4 million, an improvement from the £19.3 million loss the previous year.

By the end of 2023, The Gym Group had 236 locations and announced plans in March to open 50 more sites over the next three years.

Is David Lloyd privately owned?

David Lloyd Leisure has been owned by the private equity firm TDR since 2013. Previously, it was owned by Whitbread from 1995.

Headquartered in Hatfield, the group has around 755,000 members across its 133 locations.

In 2023, David Lloyd Leisure's revenue increased to £756 million, up from £655 million the previous year.

During the same period, it reduced its pre-tax loss from over £30 million in 2022 to just under £26 million.

Russell Barnes has been the CEO and director of the group since November 2022.

Who owns Total Fitness?

Total Fitness was founded by Kwik Save founder Albert Gubay in 1993 and was sold to the private equity arm of Legal & General for £80 million in 2004.

In 2015, the chain was acquired by North Edge Capital, which still owns it today.

Total Fitness operates 155 gym locations across the North West, North East, Yorkshire, East Midlands, and Wales.

The Cheshire-based group saw its turnover increase from £36 million to £39.9 million in the year ending June 30, 2023. Its pre-tax profit rose from £961,000 to £1.2 million.

Sophie Lawler has been the CEO of Total Fitness since June 2018.

Who is the CEO of Nuffield Health?

Nuffield Health, the UK's largest healthcare charity, operates 112 Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing Centers.

CEO Steve Gray announced last month that he would be stepping down after nine years. Current Bupa boss Alex Perry is expected to take over later this year.

In its 2022 accounts, the group reported having 365,000 members across its health and fitness clubs, with revenue growing to £288 million for the year, up from £102 million the previous year.

The charity is headquartered in Epsom, Surrey.

How many gyms does JD Sports have?

JD Sports launched its own chain of gyms in 2014 and now operates around 230 locations in the UK.

Based in Greater Manchester, the company increased its membership to 453,000 in the 12 months ending January 28, 2023, up from 400,000 the previous year.

Its turnover nearly doubled from £47.4 million to just over £81 million.

During the same period, its pre-tax profit jumped from £2.2 million to £13.5 million.

JD Sports Gyms is backed by the same parent company as the main retail arm of the business, Pentland Group, which also owns Speedo and Berghaus.

French businessman Régis Schultz has been the CEO of JD Sports since 2022.

Who Owns Bannatyne Fitness Gyms?

Bannatyne Fitness is a chain of health clubs in the UK, founded by Scottish businessman and former Dragon's Den investor Duncan Bannatyne.

The chain is owned by The Bannatyne Group.

The Bannatyne Group reported a pre-tax profit of £10.1 million for 2023, a significant increase from £1 million in 2022, according to accounts filed with Companies House in April.

Headquartered in Darlington, the group also posted a revenue of £138.9 million for the year, up from £126.9 million.

In 2021, the group's revenue was £75.5 million, and it incurred a pre-tax loss of £12.9 million. Currently, the group operates 69 gyms.

Where Is Anytime Fitness’s Head Office?

Anytime Fitness is an American franchise of 24-hour health and fitness clubs based in Woodbury, Minnesota.

The franchise expanded into the UK in 2011 and now operates 185 clubs, making it the largest fitness franchise in the nation.

Jason Worthy took over as CEO of Anytime Fitness UK in January 2023.

Source: cityam

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.